Jukich Enjoying Second Straight Solid Season

DURHAM, NC. - With the wealth of pitching prospects that have played with the Louisville Bats this season, it is easy to forget about 27-year-old Ben Jukich, a left-hander who has put up solid numbers while spending the majority of 2010 with the club. Jukich got the call up to Louisville just a few weeks after the season began, and has been a fixture with the Bats ever since, spending the year's first few months in bullpen duty before becoming a full-time starter.

Perhaps it's not a coincidence that Jukich's switch to starting duties in June was also the advent of the Bats breaking out of their early season funk. After making 11 appearances out of the bullpen, Jukich has become a steady member of the Louisville rotation, going 6-2 with a 3.88 earned run average in 18 starts. For the season, the six-foot-five southpaw has put up a 7-4 record with a 3.90 ERA, ranking third on the team in innings pitched (115.1) and strikeouts (103).

Much like the team's performance, Jukich has heated up over the season's second half, putting up a 4-0 record with a 3.57 ERA since the all-star break. Jukich, who has not suffered a loss since June 24th, has helped the team post a 46-25 mark over the second half of the season, storming back from the International League West division cellar to capture the division crown on the regular season's last day.

With the Bats in the midst of a heated pennant race, it has been timely that Jukich has put together some of his strongest performances over the past month, going into the seventh inning in each of his past four starts. On September 1st, Jukich threw seven shutout innings and fanned seven in a Bats victory over Toledo. Jukich was also on the mound for the Bats crucial win on the final day of the season, helping the team capture its third straight division title by throwing six-and-two-thirds to get the victory. When Louisville and Durham go to game four in their current playoff series, it will be Jukich taking the ball, hopefully to continue his current hot streak.

Jukich was also a member of the Bats for the entire 2009 campaign when the Bats won their second consecutive division title, going 9-6 with a 4.10 ERA, once again splitting bullpen and starting duties. After the season, Jukich was plucked by the Cardinals in the Rule 5 draft, but was sent back to the Reds' organization before the beginning of 2010.

Jukich, who hails from Dakota Wesleyan College, became the first player ever selected in the Major League baseball draft from the Great Plains Athletic Conference when he was picked in the 13th round of 2006 draft by the Oakland A's. In April of 2007, Jukich was dealt to the Reds along with Marcus McBeth in a deal that sent Chris Denorfia to Oakland.

While Jukich has yet to see any major-league time, he has put together back-to-back solid seasons at the triple-A level while playing the role of both reliever and starter. If the tall left-hander can continue his steady improvement, a big league opportunity may just come knocking sometime in 2011.